Tag: Raiders

Mar 21, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Founders FFC quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws ball against Logan Paul of Wildcats FFC during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic at BMO stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Tom Brady on comeback: NFL didn’t ‘like that idea very much’

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Tom Brady toyed with the idea of a potential comeback, going so far as to ask the NFL if it were permissible for a minority owner of a team to play in a league game.

Per NFL rules, a player can’t also be an owner.

“I actually have inquired, and they don’t like that idea very much,” Brady told CNBC. “We explored a lot of different things, and I’m very happily retired. Let me just say that, too.”

Brady, who turns 49 in August, last played in an NFL game in 2022 before announcing his retirement for the second time. The seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback currently is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Brady would need to sell his 5% stake in the team before he could become an active player.

Brady returned to the field this past weekend, albeit to participate in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic.

“I loved being out there playing in the flag game,” Brady said. “I loved not getting hit. I’ve got a lot of really fun things I’m involved in.

“It’s never going to get old throwing passes to incredible athletes on the football field. But if anything, that game reconfirmed to me that I’m very happy in my retirement.”

Brady was a three-time NFL Most Valuable Player who holds the league records for completions (7,753), pass attempts (12,050), passing yards (89,214) and touchdown passes (649). He added his record seventh Super Bowl championship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2020 season.

–Field Level Media

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis walks on the field before the CFP National Championship college football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Report: NFL owners set to vote on Raiders’ succession plan

Posted on | by Field Level Media

NFL owners will vote next week on a succession plan that would give Silver Lake co-chief executive officer Egon Durban the option to buy a majority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders from longtime owner Mark Davis, multiple media outlets reported.

The vote — expected to take place at the annual league meeting in Phoenix starting March 29 — does not necessarily signal that a significant change is in the immediate future, as reports say Davis has no intention of selling his majority stake.

However, the vote sets the stage for if and when Davis or his heirs decide to sell, giving Durban, a limited partner, the option to buy the club. Durban would have to be approved as the new controlling owner by the NFL’s other owners, per league rules.

Owners reportedly also will vote on Davis selling roughly 7% of the team to Durban and another limited partner, Discovery Land Company founder and chairman Michael Meldman. Both already are limited partners, having each acquired a 7.5% stake in the team in December 2024.

If approved, the most recent sale would put the team’s valuation at nearly $10 billion, according to ESPN. The Raiders would join three other organizations valued by Forbes at more than $10 billion: the Dallas Cowboys ($13 billion), Los Angeles Rams ($10.5 billion), and New York Giants ($10.1 billion).

In 2024, Davis sold a 5% stake in the team to legendary quarterback Tom Brady for an undisclosed sum. Knighthead Capital Management co-founder Tom Wagner (5%) and Raiders Hall of Famer Richard Seymour (0.5%) also bought into the Raiders.

Davis, 70, inherited the team in 2011 upon the death of his father, Al Davis, a legendary figure in the league who went from being the team’s coach and general manager in 1963 to the principal owner in 1972.

The elder Davis won three Super Bowls, but since his death, the Raiders have had just two winning seasons and no playoff wins.

The addition of Brady to the ownership team and a move from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020 have so far not invigorated the organization as they’d hoped. The Raiders have just one winning season since the move (10-7 and a first-round playoff loss in 2021) and have gone a dismal 4-13 and 3-14 in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

–Field Level Media

Nov 17, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) forces a fumble by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) during the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Favorites emerge to land Raiders’ Maxx Crosby after trade fallout

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Las Vegas Raiders find themselves in an awkward situation after the Ravens backed out of a trade that would have sent pass rusher Maxx Crosby to Baltimore.

The Ravens agreed on Friday to send a pair of first-round picks to the Raiders for the former All-Pro. With Crosby off the market, many teams committed significant resources toward upgrading their pass rush during the first two days when teams could negotiate with free agents.

Las Vegas also spent heavily on both sides of the ball. So when Baltimore backed out of the deal on Tuesday, it left the Raiders with their own salary cap predicament and fewer potential suitors interested in landing Crosby.

At least one sportsbook still favors Crosby to play elsewhere next season — with -200 odds that he will not be with Las Vegas compared to +150 odds that he’ll stay for an eighth season with the Raiders. That implies a 33.3% likelihood of Crosby playing for Las Vegas in 2026.

That begs the question: where might Crosby end up?

The shortest odds belong to the reigning AFC champions, followed by an NFC contender seeking to add in a few key spots to take the next step.

MAXX CROSBY NEXT TEAM ODDS (If not Raiders)*
New England Patriots (+400)
Chicago Bears (+500)
Cleveland Browns (+500)
Dallas Cowboys (+500)
Philadelphia Eagles (+700)
Pittsburgh Steelers (+1400)
San Francisco 49ers (+1800)
Jacksonville Jaguars (+2000)
Washington Commanders (+2000)
Detroit Lions (+2500)
New Orleans Saints (+2500)
New York Jets (+2500)
Los Angeles Chargers (+2800)
Buffalo Bills (+3300)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3300)
Arizona Cardinals (+4000)
Houston Texans (+4000)
Seattle Seahawks (+4000)
Tennessee Titans (+4000)
Cincinnati Bengals (+4500)
Denver Broncos (+4500)
New York Giants (+4500)
Atlanta Falcons (+5000)
Indianapolis Colts (+5000)
Minnesota Vikings (+5000)
Carolina Panthers (+6600)
Kansas City Chiefs (+6600)
Los Angeles Rams (+6600)
Baltimore Ravens (+7500)
Green Bay Packers (+7500)
Miami Dolphins (+7500)
*BetOnline.ag odds provided for entertainment purposes only.

The Patriots were believed to be interested in Crosby before the Ravens deal was announced. With K’Lavon Chaisson agreeing to a deal with Washington, New England has a real need for a pass rusher like Crosby despite adding Dre’Mont Jones. But will the Patriots be willing to part with the pair of first-round picks the Raiders are still seeking for Crosby?

The Bears came an overtime loss away from reaching the NFC Championship Game. Since then, they signed defensive back Coby Bryant from the world champion Seahawks, and Crosby could be another key piece toward pushing Chicago over the top.

The Bears would need to find cap space and determine if the asking price is worth it for a 28-year-old recovering from knee surgery. They reportedly were willing to give up two first-round picks before being outbid by Baltimore, which offered a first-rounder 11 spots higher than Chicago’s.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones loves making splashy headlines, and adding Crosby would certainly do that. Dallas also invested significant money in free agents this week, but the Cowboys still have an extra first-round pick this year from the Micah Parsons trade. Interestingly, Crosby played high school football in Colleyville, which is less than an hour outside Dallas.

The two other teams with odds shorter than +1000 to land Crosby have different situations. Would the Browns look to pair him opposite Myles Garrett, or potentially deal the single-season sacks record holder? In that scenario, Cleveland could look to acquire draft capital while sending Garrett to a contending team, such as New England or Philadelphia.

While great for trade speculation, the Browns would likely have a difficult time trading the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year due to the dead cap space it would create. And the Eagles are reportedly interested in extending defensive tackle Jalen Carter rather than including him in a multi-team deal that would land Garrett in return.

And then there’s the real possibility that Crosby suits up for the Silver and Black next season. Sports Illustrated reported that he was back in the team facility at 8 a.m. on Wednesday and considers himself a Raiders employee moving forward.

–Field Level Media

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field after loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Returned to sender: Maxx Crosby at Raiders’ facility, sides mending fences

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Signs point to the Las Vegas Raiders welcoming Maxx Crosby back into the fold as a result of the return-to-sender rejection of a trade with the Baltimore Ravens.

Sports Illustrated reported the star defensive end was back at the team facility to rehab from left knee surgery at 8 a.m. on Wednesday and considers himself an employee of the Raiders going forward.

The Raiders agreed to a trade on Friday with the Ravens, sending Crosby to Baltimore in exchange for multiple first-round picks. But the deal was pending the results of Crosby’s physical and was not official until Wednesday, the first day of the league year. On Tuesday night, the Ravens informed the Raiders the deal was off, according to multiple reports, because of questions surrounding Crosby’s health and what they considered a “failed physical.”

On Wednesday morning, the Ravens reportedly agreed to a four-year contract with free agent defensive end Trey Hendrickson. The 31-year-old is also coming back from surgery. He played in seven games last season and underwent core muscle surgery. The terms of the agreement, with a value of around $112 million according to multiple reports, matches the total compensation remaining on Crosby’s deal.

NFL Network reported the Chicago Bears were willing to part with two first-round picks to acquire Crosby but were outbid. The Ravens likely jumped ahead because Baltimore’s 2026 first-round pick is 11 slots better than Chicago’s No. 25 overall pick.

The Raiders and Crosby, 28, had been at odds since fired head coach Pete Carroll decided to sit him late in the 2025 season when the fiery Pro Bowl talent argued he wasn’t hurt.

By reversing direction, the Ravens retained the No. 14 overall pick and their 2027 first-rounder promised in the handshake agreement.

The Raiders signed two edge rushers — Malcolm Koonce and Kwity Paye — but remain responsible for Crosby’s contract and the $35.7 million cap hit for 2026, per Spotrac. Las Vegas also signed Ravens free agent center Tyler Linderbaum.

–Field Level Media

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) on the field after loss to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Raiders: Ravens ‘backed out’ of trade for star DE Maxx Crosby

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The Ravens’ big splash for Maxx Crosby is off.

The Las Vegas Raiders announced Tuesday that Baltimore has “backed out” of its reported trade for the star defensive end, abruptly negating what had been one of the biggest moves of the offseason.

“The Baltimore Ravens have backed out of our trade agreement for Maxx Crosby,” the Raiders wrote on social media. “We will have no further comment at this time.”

The deal fell apart for medical reasons, according to the NFL Network, with reports indicating the Ravens were not comfortable assuming the risk associated with Crosby’s knee.

The trade was expected to send Crosby to the Ravens in exchange for two first-round picks (including the 14th overall pick this year), a significant return for a Raiders team in rebuilding mode and a rare, aggressive move from a Ravens club that has been seeking more disruption off the edge. Las Vegas also holds the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft.

Crosby’s health has been a topic of discussion for months. He finished last season playing through a knee injury before the Raiders shut him down with two games remaining, a decision that upset him enough to leave the team facility. Crosby had left knee surgery in early January and said the procedure was successful.

This latest surprise leaves both sides in the same position as before, just under a much brighter spotlight. Baltimore keeps its first-round picks and looks to the market for help with its pass rush. The Raiders hold on to their most recognizable yet disgruntled defensive player, despite a week of trade rumors pointing toward a new direction. Trades also can’t be finalized until the new league year begins Wednesday, but this one didn’t even reach that stage.

Crosby, 28, has been a Pro Bowl selection each of the past five seasons and was twice named a second-team All-Pro. He registered 10 sacks in 15 games for the Raiders last season and has 69.5 sacks in 110 career games (104 starts).

For now, the blockbuster is dead. Whether it remains that way, the Raiders seek another trade partner, or it becomes a renegotiation once everyone is comfortable with the medicals, is the next question.

–Field Level Media

Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws in the third quarter against the New York Giants at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Jets reportedly reacquire QB Geno Smith in trade with Raiders

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Thirteen years after drafting Geno Smith, the Jets haven’t found a surefire solution to their quarterback woes and are bringing the 35-year-old back to New York for another shot.

The Raiders and Jets reportedly agreed to the trade on Tuesday sending Smith back to his original NFL team in return for a 2026 sixth-round draft pick.

The Jets also will receive a seventh-round pick (No. 2019 overall) along with Smith, who was awaiting his release by the Raiders before the start of the league year on Wednesday.

With an opportunity to head back to the Jets, Smith, 35, reportedly agreed to restructure his contract. ESPN reported the Raiders are paying most of the remaining tab, limiting New York’s financial commitment to just over the league minimum for veteran players.

The Jets selected Smith in the second round (39th overall) of the 2013 draft out of West Virginia. He played his first four seasons for the Jets and completed 57.9% of his passes for 5,962 yards and 28 touchdowns with 26 interceptions in 33 games (30 starts) from 2013-16.

Las Vegas is projected to use the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft on Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

There was urgency for the Raiders to trade or release Smith with an $8 million guarantee in his contract due to hit the books March 13.

Smith threw a league-worst 17 interceptions and completed 67.4% of his passes for 3,025 yards with 15 touchdowns in 15 starts last season. The Raiders were 2-13 in games he started and Smith was sacked a league-high 55 times.

Smith has completed 65.2% of his passes for 22,168 yards and 124 TDs with 89 interceptions in 109 regular-season games (98 starts) with the Jets, New York Giants (2017), Los Angeles Chargers (2018), Seattle Seahawks (2020-24) and Raiders.

His only playoff appearance was in 2022 with the Seahawks, a 41-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in an NFC wild-card game. Smith was honored as the NFL Comeback Player of the Year that season and made the Pro Bowl in 2022 and 2023.

–Field Level Media

Jun 10, 2025; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum (64) looks on during an NFL OTA at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Reports: Raiders to sign C Tyler Linderbaum to massive $81M deal

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Free agent center Tyler Linderbaum is heading to Vegas to cash in after negotiations to remain in Baltimore with the Ravens broke down.

According to multiple reports, Linderbaum agreed to three-year contract with a maximum value of $81 million on Monday, the first day unrestricted free agents are permitted to negotiate with other teams. Linderbaum received a “market setting” offer from the Ravens in February, according to general manager Eric DeCosta, but the two sides never closed on an agreement.

Linderbaum, 25, is the first piece to change on a planned wholesale restructuring of the Raiders’ offensive line.

He was a Pro Bowl selection in three of his four seasons with the Ravens. Baltimore had a chance to retain Linderbaum for 2026 by exercising the fifth-year contract option in his contract as a former first-round pick. But DeCosta said in declining the option, worth $23.4 million, the Ravens were confident a long-term contract could be worked out.

Injuries forced the Raiders to start multiple players and combinations at the three interior offensive line positions last season.

The Raiders were expected to be highly active in free agency after agreeing to trade pass rusher Maxx Crosby to the Ravens.

They re-signed cornerback Eric Stokes to a three-year, $30 million deal, on Monday, according to reports.

The agreement keeps the former first-round pick of the Packers from hitting the open market and includes $20 million guaranteed.

Stokes, 27, made 16 starts in his first season with the Raiders and had 53 tackles and five passes defensed in 2025.

Stokes was one of the bright spots for Las Vegas during a 3-14 season, limiting quarterbacks to a 54.5% completion rate and an 85.3 passer rating against him.

–Field Level Media

Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson (7) rushes for a touchdown after intercepting the first pass of the game by Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco (15) on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, during a game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Reports: Raiders trade for Bills CB Taron Johnson

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The Las Vegas Raiders are acquiring veteran cornerback Taron Johnson and a seventh-round pick from the Buffalo Bills for a sixth-round pick in this year’s draft, according to multiple reports on Sunday night.

The Bills announced on Friday that Johnson, 29, was going to be released, reportedly as an apparent salary-cap casualty for a savings of $1.9 million. Instead, Buffalo is trading Johnson and a late draft pick — it has two in the seventh (from the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets) — for a sixth-rounder. The Raiders have two that round, including one from the Jets.

Johnson played in 13 regular-season games for the Bills last season, making eight starts at nickel cornerback and totaling 57 tackles and four passes defended. He also started one of two playoff games and made eight tackles.

He signed a three-year, $30.75 million extension in March 2024 with $17.82 million in guaranteed money.

Buffalo selected Johnson in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Weber State.

For his career, Johnson has 572 tackles, eight sacks, 23 tackles for loss, 48 passes defended, eight forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and six interceptions — two returned for touchdowns — in 113 regular-season games (87 starts) since 2018. He was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2023.

He also has 69 tackles, one sack, seven passes defensed and one interception, which he returned 101 yards for a touchdown against Baltimore in 2020, in 15 playoff games (12 starts).

–Field Level Media

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) in the tunnel against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Reports: Ravens acquire DE Maxx Crosby from Raiders for 2 1st-round picks

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The Las Vegas Raiders are sending star defensive end Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens for two first-round draft picks, according to multiple media reports on Friday.

That draft haul includes the No. 14 pick in April’s NFL Draft — giving Las Vegas two top-14 picks along with its own No. 1 overall selection — and Baltimore’s 2027 first-round pick.

The deal can’t officially be completed until the 2026 NFL league year begins on March 11. However, it was reported a day after the one-year anniversary of Crosby signing a three-year, $106.5 million extension with the Raiders.

Crosby, 28, has been selected for the Pro Bowl in each of the last five seasons and has received two second-team All-Pro honors. He has 69.5 career sacks, with at least seven sacks in each of his seven seasons with the Raiders, and also has 133 tackles for loss.

The standout pass rusher expressed frustration when he was placed on injured reserve with two games left in the 2025 season due to a reported knee injury. He reportedly left the facility that week before returning the following week.

In his seven seasons with the franchise, Crosby made the playoffs once, losing a 2021 wild-card game, while playing for five different head coaches.

In Baltimore, he’s a splash addition for new head coach Jesse Minter, who was previously the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers. The Ravens’ defense finished last season 24th in the league in total defense (allowing 354.5 yards per game) and tied for 30th in sacks (30), with no player recording more than five sacks.

–Field Level Media

Dec 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws in the third quarter against the New York Giants at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Reports: Raiders to release QB Geno Smith

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Geno Smith is expected to be released by the Raiders before the start of the league year on March 11, when the long-expected vacancy at quarterback in Las Vegas reportedly will become official.

The Raiders are projected to use the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, but at the NFL Scouting Combine last month, general manager John Spytek appeared to keep the door open for Smith to stick around. He said the Raiders don’t necessarily want a rookie to take the snaps as the starter in Week 1 of the 2026 regular season.

Kenny Pickett, Smith’s backup who took over late in the season when he was injured, is a free agent.

But releasing Smith after one season as the team’s starter will save the Raiders $8 million in cap space, sparing the automatic guarantee in Smith’s contract that would’ve hit the books March 13.

The Raiders would eat $18.5 million in dead money but cutting Smith, who was acquired in March 2025 in a trade from the Seattle Seahawks to be the starter for Pete Carroll.

Carroll didn’t last a second season and Smith barely survived the physical beating of playing behind one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines.

He threw a league-worst 17 interceptions and passed for 3,025 yards with 15 touchdowns in 15 starts. He was sacked 55 times.

Smith, 35, has played for five NFL franchises since being drafted 39th overall by the Jets in 2013.

–Field Level Media